1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a card connector for connecting a card such as an IC card or a flash memory card into a mobile phone, a smartphone, or other electronic devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tray type card connector compatible with waterproof electronic devices.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, for an external storage medium for an electronic device such as a mobile phone or a smartphone, a card such as an IC card or a flash memory card is used. The card and a printed wiring board installed in the electronic device are electrically connected to each other through a card connector.
There is known a card connector that includes a housing disposed in an electronic device; a card tray that is inserted into the housing through a casing opening portion opened at a lateral surface portion of a casing of the electronic device; and a plurality of contacts arranged in the housing. By inserting the card tray into the housing through the casing opening portion, a front cover portion disposed at a front end portion of the card tray fits into the casing opening portion.
In such a tray type card connector, when the front cover portion of the card tray fits in the casing opening portion, the card tray cannot be easily ejected. Thus, the tray type card connector has a tray ejection mechanism that allows the card tray to be ejected from the housing and the electronic device by an operation performed externally of the casing of the electronic device.
For the tray ejection mechanism that can be operated externally of the casing of the electronic device, for example, a pin-eject tray ejection mechanism is known (see, for example, JP 2013-51134 A). The pin-eject tray ejection mechanism has an operation member disposed at a side portion of a housing so as to be pushable; and a turn lever that turns in conjunction with the push operation of the operation member. A pin insertion hole opened so as to be disposed continuously with the operation member is provided at a front cover portion of a card tray or a lateral surface portion of a casing. By inserting a pin member into the housing externally of the casing through the pin insertion hole, the operation member is pushed. By pushing one end of the turn lever by the operation member, the turn lever turns, and a back edge of the card tray is pushed out by the other end side of the turn lever in an ejection direction.
However, with diversification of the usage modes of electronic devices such as mobile phones and smartphones, there is a demand to waterproof the entire electronic device. Hence, a structure is required that prevents the entry of water into the electronic device through the casing opening portion.
In addition, in the case of a card connector having the conventional pin-eject tray ejection mechanism such as that described above, in order to operate the operation member or the turn lever externally of the casing of the electronic device, the pin insertion hole is provided in the front cover portion or the casing of the electronic device, and a pin is inserted into the electronic device through the pin insertion hole to push the operation member or the turn lever with the pin. Since the pin insertion hole passes through internally and externally of the casing of the electronic device, there is a problem that the card connector is not compatible with waterproof devices.
In view of such a conventional problem, an object of the present invention is therefore to provide a tray type card connector that is compatible with waterproof electronic devices and that can easily perform the insertion and removal of a card into/from the electronic devices.